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THE    GOOD    TRACT.—  SCE    PAGE    IT. 


MALAN'S    NARRATIVES. 


THE  GOOD  TRACT, 


THE    GOOD    BOYS. 


EDITED    BY    D.    P.    KIDDER. 


PUBLISHED  BY  L.VXE  &  SCOTT. 

FOE   THE    SVXDAY-SCHOOL   VJflON   OF  THE   METHODIST    EPISCOFAL 
CHUBCH,  200  MULBERET-STBEET. 

JOSEPH    LONOKING.     PRIKTE2. 
1852. 


Entered  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  j-ear  1852,  by 
LANE    &    SCOTT, 

in  the  Clerk's  Office  of  the  District  Court  of  the  Soutlirin 
District  of  New-York. 


COXTEr^TS 


Chap.                                                                                         Page 
I. — Good  and  bad  Tracts  distinguished 7 

11. — The  Fa^iily  op  the  Vine-dresser 10 

ITT. — The  Shooting  Match — The  Tract  found — 

Its  Perusal  and  good  Effect 12 

iv. — con^'ersation  with  josephine 16 

V. — Good  Behavior — Surprise  op  Parents — A 

Bible  w.vnted 21 

VI. — Reading  in  the  Family — A  Bible  purchased  23 

Good  Boys 35 


/ 


THE  GOOD  TRACT. 


CHAPTER  I. 

GOOD    AND    BAD    TRACTS    DISTINGUISHED. 

Every  one  knows  what  a  tract  is.  It 
is  a  little  printed  book,  which  is  sold 
at  a  very  low  price,  oftener  given  away, 
and  even  thrown,  here  and  there,  about 
the  streets  and  roads,  where  those  who 
receive  it,  or  find  it,  may  read  the  re- 
ligious truths  or  good  advice  which  this 
book  contains. 

This  manner  of  instructing  all  classes 
of  people  is  very  ancient.  It  was 
in  use,  for  example,  in  the  earliest  years 
of  the  Reformation,  when  some  faithful 
Christians   of  Picardv,  in  France,  as- 


8  THE   GOOD   TRACT. 

sembled  together  to  read  the  Holy  Bible, 
and  were  for  this  exposed  to  persecution, 
to  death,  and  especially  to  be  burned 
alive. 

Then  these  true  disciples  of  the  Lord 
Jesus  composed  and  circulated,  but  with 
difficulty,  little  writings  which  taught" 
the  way  of  salvation,  and  which  the  low 
and  poor  among  the  people  could  read ; 
for  it  was  then  impossible  for  them  to 
procure  and  read  the  Bible,  Avhich  was 
not  only  rare,  but  cost  much  money,  al- 
most as  much  as  a  thousand  Bibles  would 
cost  now,  and  besides  could  not  be  kept 
and  read  secretly  as  well  as  a  simple 
tract. 

In  our  times,  and  especially  for  fifty 
years  past,  this  method  has  been  em- 
ployed in  almost  all  countries  where 
faithful  Churches  and  Christian  com- 
munities are  to  bo  found ;    and  every 


THE   GOOD   TRACT.  9 

year  now  millions  of  these  writings  are 
printed  and  distributed  for  all  ages  and 
all  conditions  of  men. 

It  is  true  also  that  not  all  tracts  are 
good.  Many  of  them  are  intended  to 
sustain  false  religions  and  bad  principles, 
and  consequently  do  the  greatest  harm 
to  those  who  read  them. 

And  if  you  ask  how  shall  a  good  tract 
1)0  known  from  a  bad  one,  this  is  my 
reply  :— 

A  good  tract  is  one  which  is  like  the 
Bible,  which  speaks  of  the  love  of  Jesus, 
and  which  invites  the  reader  to  be  holy, 
through  love  for  God. 

A  had  tract  is  one  which  does  not 
speak  Hke  the  Bible,  which  says  that 
salvation  is  merited  by  human  virtues, 
or  insinuates  some  false  and  ruinous 
principle. 

The  tracts  which  speak  of  the  happi- 


10  THE    GOOD    TRACT. 

ness  of  man,  as  if  it  originated  \vith 
man,  and  not  with  God,  and  which  con- 
sequently den}'  the  Bible,  are  bad. 
They  should  be  avoided  and  detested ! 

The  good  which  has  been  done  by  re- 
ligious tracts  cannot  be  estimated.  A 
great  number  of  families  owe  their  pros- 
perity and  happiness  to  the  introduction 
of  one  of  these  evangelical  tracts ;  and 
the  following  anecdote  is  an  interesting 
proof 


CHAPTER  II. 

THE    FAMILY    OF    THE    VINE-DRESSER. 

The  family  of  a  vine-dresser  in  the 
canton  of  Vaud,  in  Switzerland,  w^as 
known  throughout  the  village  for  being 
as  immoral  as  irreligious.  The  father, 
whom  we  will  not  call  by  name,  was  a 


THE   GOOD   TRACT.  11 

proud  and  stern  man,  intemperate  and 
dissolute  ;  and  his  wife,  who  was  equally 
far  from  fearing  the  Lord,  was  what  is 
called  a  gossip. 

The  pastor  of  the  village  had  more 
than  once  attempted  to  awaken  in  the 
hearts  of  these  young  people  sentiments 
of  piety,  but  had  received  from  them 
only  scornful  words  or  jests. 

The  family  of  the  vine-dresser  was 
composed  of  three  children.  The  oldest, 
Mark,  was,  like  his  father,  haughty  and 
stubborn ;  and  although  he  was  not  yet 
fourteen  years  old,  he  already  associated 
with  gamblers  and  drunkards.  He  was 
therefore  destitute  of  religion.  His  sister, 
Josephine,  who  was  a  httle  more  than 
twelve  years  of  age,  manifested  an  inter- 
esting disposition.  The  wife  of  the 
pastor  had  taught  this  child,  who  could 
not  help  seeing  that  her  parents  were 


12  THE   GOOD   TRACT. 

not  submissive  to  God.  Peter,  the 
youngest,  was  only  ten ;  but  the  example 
of  his  brother  did  him  more  harm  than 
that  of  his  sister. did  good. 


CHAPTER  III. 

THE    SHOOTING    MATCH THE    TRACT    FOUND 

ITS    PERUSAL    AND    GOOD   EFFECT. 

About  the  last  of  May  there  was  to 
be,  at  a  large  village  not  far  from  that 
of  the  vine-dresser,  a  shooting  match. 
This  was  a  general  festival,  to  which 
all  the  people  in  the  neighborhood  re- 
paired. 

On  the  morning  of  this  day  Mark  had 
rephed  with  impudence  to  his  father,  who 
had  grown  angry  with  him,  and  chastised 
him  severely,  prohibiting  him,  besides, 
from  going  to  the  fete. 


THE   GOOD   TRACT.  13 

The  father  went  there,  and  Mark, 
after  having  remained  undecided  for  a 
few  moments,  soon  resolved  not  to  mind 
the  prohibition,  but  to  go  also. 

He  profited  by  the  absence  of  his  mo- 
ther, who  had  gone,  as  usual,  to  gossip 
with  some  neighbors,  and,  notwithstand- 
ing the  representations  of  Josephine,  left 
the  house,  and  hastened  through  the 
fields  and  shrubbery  towards  the  place 
of  the  celebration. 

'^  What  is  that  ?"  said  he,  picking  up 
a  little  tract,  covered  with  colored  paper, 
which  was  lying  on  the  path,  near 
the  opening  in  the  hedge.  "  Ah  !  it  is 
one  of  those  tracts  which  we  find 
everywhere.  It  is  excellent  paper  for 
gun-wadding,"  added  he,  putting  the 
tract  in  his  pocket;  and  he  continued 
his  way. 

But  when  he  approached  the  village, 


14  THE   GOOD   TRACT. 

where  be  could  hear  the  sound  of  th'm<r, 
})laying,  and  dancing,  he  was  suddenly 
arrested  by  the  thought  that  his  father, 
who  was  there,  would  see  him,  and  would 
not  fail  to  beat  him  and  to  drive  him 
away  before  everybody ;  and  as  he  did 
not  know  where  his  father  might  be, 
and  Peter,  whom  his  father  had  taken 
with  him,  might  suddenly  appear  and 
expose  him,  he  kept  himself  concealed 
behind  the  hedge,  without  daring  to  go 
a  step  farther. 

"I- might  read  this  book!"  said  he, 
after  having  in  vain  racked  •  his  brains 
for  some  expedient  to  be  at  the  fete  with- 
out being  discovered.  "  There  is  nothing 
but  nonsense  in  it,  I  know  beforehand ; 
but  it  will  take  up  my  time  a  few  mo- 
ments." 

This  tract  was  The  Hapiyy  Familij  ; 
and  Mark  was  so  much  interested  in  it, 


THE   GOOD   TKACT.  15 

that  he  read  it  through,  and  the  latter 
part  of  it  twice. 

"  It  is  siHgular !"  said  he,  when  he  had 
finished  his  reading.  ''  I  should  never 
have  beheved  it  possible.  This  Andrew 
and  Julia  were  after  all  happier  than  we 
are,  than  I  am  especially.  Ah  !"  added 
he,  walking  with  his  head  down,  along 
the  hedge,  ^-perhaps  Josephine  is  right, 
and  the  good  w^ay  may  be  that  of  which 
the  lady  tells  her. 

As  he  reflected  on  the  narrative  he 
had  just  read,  he  at  first  pursued  slowdy, 
then  more  rapidly,  the  road  to  his  own 
village,  and  re-entered  his  father's  house 
quietly,  not  w^histling  or  singing  as 
usual. 


16  THE   GOOD    TliACT. 


CHAPTER  IV. 

CONVERSATION  WITH    JOSEPHINE. 

"  You  have  not  been  to  the  fete,  then  ?" 
said  Josephine  to  him. 

Marie,  a  little  ashamed.  I  did  not 
dare.     I  was  afraid  of  being  beaten. 

Josephine.  It  would  have  been  better, 
my  brother,  if  you  had  been  afraid  of 
offending  God. 

Mark  felt  himself  on  the  point  of 
ridiculing  her,  as  he  always  did ;  but 
he  remembered  Andrew  and  Julia,  and 
remained  silent. 

Josepliine,  Izindhj.  Is  it  not  true  ? 
Would  it  not  be  much  better  to  fear  God, 
than  to  offend  him  always  ? 

Marie,  knitting  his  hroiv.  Yes,  as 
Andrew  and  Julia  did. 

Josephine,  surprised.     Of  what  are 


THi:   GOOD   TKACT.  17 

you  speaking,  Mark?  Of  The  Happy 
Family^  in  which  there  is  an  Andrew 
and  a  Julia  ?  Have  you  ever  read  that 
pretty  story? 

"  Here  it  is  !"  said  ^lark,  drawing  the 
tract  from  his  pocket,  and  presenting  it 
to  his  sister. 

Josephine.  That  is  it.  But  where 
did  }'ou  get  it,  brother?  It  is  new. 
Did  }'0u  buy  it  of  the  colporteur  ? 

-Buy  it!"  said  Mark.  ''\  should 
look  well  spending  my  money  in  such  a 
fooHsh  way. 

Josephine.  But  where  did  you  get  it, 
then  ?    Who  gave  it  to  you  ? 

3Iark.  I  should  like  to  have  seen 
any  one  offer  it  to  me !  I  would  have 
torn  it  in  his  presence,  and  thrown  the 
pieces  in  his  face  ! 

Josephine.  So  much  the  worse,  Mark. 
For  it  is  the  truth  of  God  which  vou 


18  THE   GUOB    TKACT. 

have  read  there ;  and  to  tear  the  truth 
of  God  would  be  a  great  sin. 

Mark,  rudely.  Well^  you  see  I  have 
not  torn  it,  since  the  book  is  whole. 
And  if  you  must  know,  I  found  it  on 
the  ground,  near  the  road,  be}^ond  the 
shrubbery. 

Josephine.  Ah  !  then  I  know  where 
it  came  from.  The  eldest  son  of  the 
pastor  and  some  others  have  formed  a 
tract  society,  to  distribute  and  scatter 
them  about. 

Marlc^  reproachfully.  Well !  why 
need  they  put  them  everywhere  ?  Can 
they  not  let  people  alone,  without  thrust- 
ing their  ideas  into  their  heads.  Let 
them  keep  their  religion  to  themselves, 
and  let  every  one  enjoy  his  own. 

Josephine.  Do  you  think,  then,  Mark, 
that  Andrew  and  Julia  did  w^rong  in 
listening  to  their  father  and  grandmo- 


THE    GOOD    IKACT.  19 

ther,  and  obeying  the  Bible,  rather  than 
to  walk  in  the  way  of  sinners  ? 

MarJc^  softening.  I  did  not  say  that. 
I  think  Andrew  and  JuHa  were  in  the 

right,  but .     Come,  give  me  the 

tract ;  I  wish  to  look  at  something  in  it. 

Upon  this  Mark  went  out,  taking  the 
tract  with  him  ;  and  a  few  moments  after, 
Josephine  perceived  him  seated  in  the 
garden,  behind  a  hedge  of  rose-bushes 
reading  it. 

^^  Where  is  the  rogue  of  a  Mark?" 
asked  the  vine-dresser,  when  he  returned 
home  in  the  evening,  half  drunk.  '*  Per- 
haps he  went  to  the  village  ?  I  heard 
he  was  seen  roving  about  there.  Where 
is  he  now  ?" 

^•He  has  been  in  bed  more  than  an 
hour,"  repHed  the  mother  ;  ^'  and  he  did 
not  go  to  the  fete  any  more  than  I  did, 
for  I  saw  him  in  the  garden  reading." 


20  THE    iJUUi)    TKACT. 

**  Mark  reading !"  resumed  the  lather. 
''  That  is  a  miracle,  indeed,  to  see  him 
with  a  book, — an  idler  hke  him,  who  has 
never  learned  anything,  and  will  ne\  cr 
know  anything." 

The  vine-dresser's  wife  remained  si- 
lent, and  after  having  put  little  Peter  to 
bed,  who  was  entirely  fatigued  and  ex- 
hausted, she  succeeded  in  inducing  the 
father  to  go  to  bed  too,  and  all  was  quiet 
in  this  miserable  house. 

Meanwhile  Mark,  who  was  not  asleep 
when  his  father  returned,  had  heard 
the  names  of  rogue  and  idler,  and  had 
trembled  all  over,  wdien  he  learned  that 
he  had  been  seen  near  the  village. 

^'How  lucky,"  said  he  to  himself, 
"  that  I  did  not  go  any  farther  !  It  was 
I'eally  God  who  kept  me  from  it,"  added 
he,  ashamed  of  this  sentiment,  so  new 
to  him,  but  which  he  Avould  not  repulse. 


THE   OOOD    TRACT.  21 


CHAPTER  V. 

GOOD    BEHAVIOR SURPRISE    OF    PARENTS 

A   BIBLE   WANTED. 

The  next  day,  to  the  great  surprise  of 
Ills  father  and  mother,  Mark  rose  in 
a  good  humor,  repHed  pleasantly  to  liis 
father,  and  when  the  latter  commanded 
him  to  go  and  work  in  the  field,  ]\Iark 
took  his  spade  and  set  out,  singing. 

"  What  has  happened  to  him  ?"  asked 
the  father.  '- 1  should  not  know  him. 
What  did  you  say  to  him  last  night,  wife, 
to  make  him  so  good-natured  ?" 

''1  did  not  even  speak  to  him,"  said 
the  woman,  drily.  '•  lie  has  his  whims, 
you  know." 

''  I  hope  it  will  last !"  said  the  vine- 
dresser ;  and  upon  that  lie  went  to  the 
tavern,  to  talk  about  the  best  shots. 


'22  THE   GOOD   TRACT. 

Josephine  related  to  the  good  pastor's 
lady  the  history  of  the  little  tract,  and 
the  lady  advised  her  to  go  to  meet  Mark, 
when  he  returned  from  the  field,  and  to 
talk  to  him  again  of  what  he  had  read. 

"Is  it  yon,  sister?"  said  Mark,  with 
a  ga}'  and  satisfied  air,  as  soon  as  he 
saw^  her.  "  You  are  very  good  to  come 
to  meet  me." 

Josephine,  who  had  never  met  with 
such  a  reception  before,  was  rejoiced ; 
and  approaching  her  brother,  said  af- 
fectionately, ••I  should  hke  to  talk 
with  you  a  little  more  about  Andrew 
and  Juha." 

Marky  seriously.  And  T — I  wish  I 
was  like  them. 

Josephine.  Do  you,  indeed,  Mark? 
Have  you  thought  so  since  yesterday  ? 

Marie,  still  very  serious.  I  have 
thought  so  much  of  it,  that  I  am  resolved 


THE   GOOD   TRACT.  23 

to  change  my  conduct.  Yes,  Josephine, 
I  feel  that  you  are  in  the  right,  and  that 
after  all  to  possess  religion  is  better  than 
to  ridicule  it. 

The  conversation  continued  as  it  had 
commenced ;  and  when  Mark  returned, 
he  went  to  embrace  his  mother,  who  w^as 
setting  the  table  for  dinner. 

"  What  is  the  matter,"  said  she,  sur- 
prised. "You  are  very  gay,  it  seems 
to  me." 

"  Nothing  is  the  matter,  my  good  mo- 
ther," repHed  Mark,  seriously,  "  only  that 
I  mean  to  change  my  conduct." 

"  To  change  !"  said  little  Peter,  laugh- 
ingly, who  had  just  come  to  look  at  his 
brother. 

"  And  you  also,  little  one,"  said  Mark ; 
"  you  must  become  wise." 

"  How  amusing !"  cried  the  child. 
"  One  would  think  vou  had  suddenly 


24  THE   GOOD    TRACT. 

turned  schoolmaster?  When  shall  T 
begm  ?" 

"  We  will  see  by-and-by,"  said  i\Iark, 
kindly.  "  Meanwhile  come  and  help  mo 
take  care  of  the  horse  and  cow/' 

"  There  is  somethin«;  in  it !"  said  the 
mother,  and  she  blushed  as  she  thought 
that  the  change  had  not  originated 
with  her. 

The  father  had  returned  from  the  inn, 
and  had  placed  himself  at  the  table,  as 
usual,  without  asking  a  blessing.  Jo- 
sephine prayed  inwardly,  and  Mark,  who 
remembered  Andrew  and  Julia,  reddened 
as  he  took  the  spoon  to  eat  his  soup. 

After  dinner  Josephine  said  to  Mark, 
when  they  were  out  of  doors,  before  the 
house,  "It  is  a  pity,  my  brother,  that 
papa  never  prays  before  his  meals !" 

"  He  will,  Josephine,  he  will.  I  never 
prayed,  myself;  but  I  mean  to  commenne 


THE    GOOD    TRACT.  25 

soon.  But  how  shall  I  ?  Papa  will  1)o 
angry,  if  he  sees  me  religious." 

"  I  do  not  believe  it,"  said  Josephine  ; 
"  I  heard  him  say,  this  morning,  to  mo- 
ther, that  he  should  be  very  glad  to  have 
you  become  a  good  boy." 

^lark  colored  and  did  not  reply ;  he 
returned  to  his  labor,  without  being  or- 
dered to  do  so,  and  his  father,  astonished, 
said  to  his  wife,  "  There  is  something 
extraordinary  about  Mark.  I  hope  it 
will  last." 

"  What  is  it  to  you  ?"  repHed  the  wife, 
''  since  you  do  not  care  to  change  your- 
self" 

^- And  you,  my  poor  wife,"  said  the 
vine-dresser,  '^  do  you  care  anv  more  than 
I  do  ?  I  think  we  have  not  much  reason 
to  reproach  one  another  on  this  subject." 

"  At  least,"  said  the  wife,  "  I  am  not 
a  dmnkard." 


2G  THE   GOOD   TRACT. 

"Nor  I  a  gossip,"  said  the  husband. 
"  We  have  both  of  us  enough  evil  to 
think  of;  and  if  Mark  tries  to  improve, 
we  had  better  not  hinder  him ;  for  our 
example  is  not  any  too  good." 

Josephine,  who  was  sewing  in  an  ad- 
joining room,  could  not  help  hearing  this 
confession  of  her  father,  and  felt  encou- 
raged to  strengthen  Mark  in  his  good 
resolutions. 

She  therefore  went  a  second  time  to 
meet  him,  and  related  what  had  passed. 
'•I  think,"  added  she,  "that  you  will 
do  well  to  tell  what  has  happened 
to  you,  and  to  read  this  tract  aloud 
at  home." 

"  Not  yet,"  said  Mark.  "  I  am  not 
strong  enough.  It  is  only  an  hour 
since  the  son  of  the  innkeeper  ridiculed 
me,  because  I  told  him  I  would  not  go 
to  play  ninepins  with  him,  while  I  ought 


THE   GOOD   TRACT.  27 

to  be  at  work.  He  asked  me  if  I  had 
become  a  bigot,  and  I  did  not  know  how 
to  reply.  Bat  I  have  read  this  httle 
book  for  the  third  time." 

'-  Ah  !"  said  Josephine,  ^'  we  ought  to 
read  the  Bible,  and  w^e  have  none." 

^•That  is  true!"  said  Mark,  with 
astonishment,  '-I  never  thought  of  it. 
Xo,  we  have  no  Bible  in  the  house.  I 
am  sorry  for  that !"  added  he,  looking 
down  and  striking  the  earth  with  his 
spade. 

"  What  shall  we  do,  then  ?"  asked  Jo- 
sephine, '-  for  we  ought  to  have  one." 

Mark  said  nothing,  and  returned  pen- 
sive. From  that  day  his  conduct  be- 
came more  and  more  res-ular  and  m- 
dustrious. 


28  THE    aOOI)    TRACT. 

CHAPTER  VI. 

READING    IX    THE    FAMILY A    BIBLE    PURCHASED. 

About  a  Aveek  «after  the  first  circnm- 
stance  we  have  named,  his  father,  who 
had  seldom  manifested  any  kindness 
towards  him,  said,  at  table,  in  pre- 
sence of  them  all,  ^'Well,  Mark,  tell 
ns  what  has  happened  to  you,  for  it 
is  a  pleasure  to  see  how  well  you  be- 
have. Say,  my  boy,  where  did  }'ou  get 
this  wisdom  ?'' 

"From  this  httle  book,"  said  Mark, 
drawing  from  his  pocket  the  tract  which 
he  had  found. 

"  What  book  is  that  ?"  said  the  mother, 
scornfully.  ''  Is  it  not  one  of  those  non- 
sensical—  ?" 

"Hush!"  cried  the  father.  "Since 
this  book   has  done  orood,  how  can  it 


nil::    GOOD    IKACT.  29 

be  nonsensical  ?  Do  we  make  good  wine 
of  rotten  grapes  ?" 

"But,"  replied  the  mother,  sharply, 
^'  I  do  not  wish  introduced  into  my  house 
these  books  which  they  scatter — ." 

"Well,  for  my  part,"  said  the  vine- 
dresser, ••  I  wish  anything  that  will  make 
our  children  better.  Mark  has  worked 
industriously  for  a  week  past ;  he  has 
not  given  me  the  least  trouble ;  and  since 
he  says  it  is  this  book  which  has  made 
him  better,  I  will  read  it  also  myself. 
Read  it  to  us,  Mark.  Come !  we  will 
listen.  Wife  !  be  silent,  and  you  also, 
Peter.  As  for  Josephine,  I  know  she 
is  all  read}'.'' 

]Mark  commenced  reading,  but  he 
could  not  continue ;  his  father  rose  and 
went  out,  without  speaking,  and  his 
mother  began  to  clear  off  the  table,  also 
in  silence. 


30  THE   L5U0D    TRACT. 

But  when  the  family  were  assembled 
together  in  the  evening,  the  father  said 
to  Mark,  ''  Continue  your  reading.  I 
should  like  to  hear  the  end  of  it." 

^lark  read,  and  when  he  came  to 
what  the  tract  says  about  the  Bible, 
the  vine-dresser  cast  his  eyes  on  a  shelf 
where  there  were  a  few  old  books,  and 
said,  "Wife,  did  we  not  have  a  Bible 
once  ?" 

''  More  than  fifteen  years  ago,"  replied 
the  wife,  "you  changed  it  away  for  a 
pistol." 

The  Adne-dresser  colored,  and  listen- 
ed, without  speaking,  to  the  rest  of 
the  tract.  When  it  was  finished,  he 
remained  silent,  with  his  head  cast 
down,  and  his  hands  clasped  on  his 
knees.  Josephine  thought  this  was 
the  moment  to  speak  of  her  desire  to 
possess  a  Bible,  and,  approaching  her 


THE   GOOD    TRACT.  31 

father,  she  stood  beside  him,  without 
speaking. 

The  father  perceived  her,  and  raising 
his  head,  said  to  her,  "What  do  you 
"want,  Josephine  ?     Tell  me,  my  child." 

"  Dear  father,"  she  said,  "  I  have  long 
desired  to  read  the  Bible.  Will  you 
please  to  buy  me  one  ?" 

"  The  Bible !"  exclaimed  the  mother. 
"What  can  you  want  of  it  at  your 
age?" 

"  Wife  !  wife  !"  said  the  vine-dresser, 
impatiently;  "when  will  you  let  me 
do  what  is  good  ?  Yes,  my  daugh- 
ter," pursued  he,  patting  Josephine's 
cheek,  "'  I  will  buy  you  one  to-mor- 
row. Do  you  think  the  pastor  has 
any  to  sell  ?" 

"  0  yes,"  exclaimed  Josephine ;  "'  some 
veiy  large  ones  too." 

"Well,"  said  the  father,  rising  and 


32  THE   GOOD    TKACT. 

leaving  the  house,  ^'you  shall  have  a 
large  one." 

^^But,"  exclauned  his  wife,  ^'you  do 
not  know  what  it  will  cost." 

"  It  will  not  cost  as  much  as  the  wine 
which  I  shall  no^  longer  drink,"  replied 
the  father  with  firmness. 

He  kept  his  word.  The  next  day 
the  Bible  was  bought;  and  the  father, 
the  very  same  evening,  asked  JMark  to 
read  a  chapter  aloud.  This  evening 
the  inn  did  not  see  hhn.  He  did  not 
appear  there  for  a  whole  week.  His 
friends  laughed  at  him,  and  tried  to 
entice  him.  He  was  tempted ;  but  the 
thought  of  the  Bible  withheld  him,  and 
he  refused. 

"Are  you  mad?"  said  they.  ^'No," 
replied  he ;  "  but  I  read  the  Bible 
now  ;  and  since  it  says  that  dritalcards 
cannot  inherit  the  kingdom  of  heaven, 


THE   GOOD   TRACT.  33 

I  mean  to  obey  it,  and  cease  to  be  a 
drunkard." 

'•'You  see,"  said  Josephine  to  Mark, 
as  they  were  on  their  way  to  the 
church,  ''how  good  God  has  been  to 
us.  We  have  a  Bible,  and  can  read  it 
at  home !" 

Mark.  Have  you  told  the  son  of  the 
pastor  how  much  good  his  tract  has 
done  us  ? 

Josej)hine.    I  told  his  mother. 

Mark.    And  what  did  she  say  ? 

Josephine.  She  said  that  God  is  ad- 
mira1)le  in  all  his  ways ;  and  that,  since 
he  has  thus  commenced  his  work  in  us, 
he  will  surely  complete  it. 

Mark.  Who  would  have  said,  when 
I  went,  like  a  rebel,  to  that  fete,  that 
God  was  then  waiting  to  draw  me  to 
himself?  But,  dear  Josephine,  there  is 
much  to  be  done  ! 

3 


34  THE   GOOD    TRACT. 

"  Listen,"  said  Josephine  :  "  what  God 
has  promised  he  will  perform.  He  tells 
us  to  pray  in  the  name  of  the  Saviour : 
we  will  do  so  ;  and  we  shall  soon  become 
wiser." 


GOOD    BOYS, 


Two  ragged  ill-looking  boys  were  loiter- 
ing before  the  door  of  a  minister's 
house,  one  Sunday  morning.  They 
looked  as  if  they  wished  to  ask  for 
something,  but  were  afraid.  The  min- 
ister happened  to  see  them,  and, 
opening  the  window,  asked  what  they 
wanted. 

Boy.  Sir,  we  are  told  that  you  some- 
times give  away  little  books,  and  we 
should  like  to  have  some. 

Minister.  What  do  you  want  them 
for  ?  Can  you  read  them  ?  or  do  you 
want  them  to  sell  ? 


86  GOOD   BOYS. 

Boy.  Sir,  we  wish  to  have  them  to 
read. 

Minister.  Do  you  know  they  are  re- 
ligious books  ? 

Boy.  0,  sir,  we  dare  say  they  will 
do  us  good. 

Minister.  I  hope  they  may.  Here 
are  some,  and  I  pray  to  God  that  he  may 
teach  you  to  understand  them. 

The  minister  then  gave  them  some 
tracts,  which  they  received  very 
gladly.  The  same  evening  two  other 
boys,  well  dressed  and  respectable  in 
their  appearance,  asked  to  see  the 
minister. 

Minister.  Well,  my  lads,  what  do 
you  want  ?    Tell  me  who  }'0u  are  ? 

Francis.  Sir,  my  name  is  Francis 
White,  and  this  is  James  Turner;  we 
come  to  ask  you  to  give  us  some  of  your 
good  little  books. 


GOOD    BOYS.  37 

Minister.  Who  told  you  that  I  had 
any  to  give  away  ? 

James.  Lawrence  Williams  told  us  so. 

Minister.  Who  is  Lawrence  Williams  ? 

James.  He  lives  by  the  side  of  the 
river :  but  I  assure  you,  sir,  he  is  not 
one  of  our  companions;  we  are  not 
good-for-nothing  fellows  like  him. 

Minister.  Is  he  a  good-for-nothing 
fellow  ? 

James.  0  yes,  sir ;  everybody  knows 
his  character ;  he  is  a  thief ;  he  stole  a 
knife  last  Saturday  from  his  aunt. 

Francis.  And  he  gave  it  to  the  apple- 
w^oman,  who  sits  by  the  bridge,  for  some 
apples.  He  is  a  sad  glutton,  and  never 
so  happy  as  when  he  is  eating. 

Minister.  Are  you  sure  that  Law- 
rence did  so  ? 

James.  Yes,  sir,  and  it  was  not  the 
first  time  he  has  done  wrong;    a  day 


38  U001>   BOYS. 

never  passes  but  he  is  punished  for 
fighting,  or  something  or  other  that  is 
wrong.  I  once  saw  him  get  a  severe 
lecture  for  quan-ehng  and  fighting. 
Ilis  father  and  mother  do  all  they  can 
to  make  him  a  good  boy.  It  was  only 
last  Tuesday  that  they  tied  him  to  the 
bed-post  all  day ;  but  it  is  all  of  no  use, 
for  he  is  a  good-for-nothing  fellow,  and 
alwaj's  in  mischief 

3Iinistcr.  Can  you  tell  me  w^hy  Law- 
rence behaves  in  this  manner  ? 

James.  Sir,  it  is  owing  to  bad  com- 
pany ;  he  is  always  about  the  streets. 
If  he  goes  to  school,  it  is  only  for  once 
and  away,  and  he  pla}'s  truant  for  a  week 
afterwards.  He  was  yesterday  caught 
robbing  an  orchard. 

Francis.  And  he  got  a  good  thrash- 
ing; the  gardener  gave  it  to  him 
thoroughly. 


GOOD    BOYS.  39 

James.  So  it  is,  sir;  one  bad  thing 
leads  to  another :  for  my  part,  I  would 
not  be  a  thief  for  all  the  world. 

Francis.  Nor  I ;  we  should  be  point- 
ed at  everywhere.  Whenever  the  boys 
at  our  school  see  Lawrence,  they  hoot 
after  him  directly. 

Minister.    Do  they  hoot  after  you  ? 

James.  No,  sir  :  we  are  good  honest 
boys ;  we  never  do  wrong. 

3£imster.  Then  you  are  quite  dif- 
ferent from  Lawrence  ;  but  are  you  sure 
you  are  so  much  better  than  he  is,  and 
that  you  never  do  anything  wrong  ? 

James  considered  for  a  minute,  his 
conscience  seemed  to  strike  him,  and 
he  said,  "No,  sir,  I  do  not  quite  mean 
that  we  never  do  anything  wrong. 
I  mean,  sir,  that  we  always — no,  sir, 
not  quite  always — in  short,  sir,  I  mean 
that  we  are  not  thieves,  and  that  we 


40  GOOD  B0Y6. 

go  to  school  regularly,  and  never  play 
truant." 

Minister.  James,  suppose  your  fa- 
ther's shop-boy  were  to  steal  some  money 
out  of  the  till,  what  would  be  done  to 
him  ? 

James.  0,  sir,  he  would  soon  be  turn- 
ed off;  and,  indeed,  I  should  suppose  he 
would  be  put  in  prison. 

Minister.  Most  likely.  But  suppose 
he  said,  "  I  should  like  to  take  that  mo- 
ney, and  I  would  do  so,  only  I  should 
be  punished  for  it ;"  now,  tell  me,  is  not 
he  in  reality  a  thief? 

James.  Why,  yes,  sir ;  he  is  a  thief 
in  his  heart. 

Minister.  You  are  right,  James ;  for 
it  is  a  sin,  in  the  sight  of  God,  to  wish 
to  do  wrong,  as  well  as  actually  to  sin 
openly  ;  for  God  sees  the  heart,  and  looks 
at  our  secret  desires  and  inclinations. 


GOOD    BOYS.  41 

Francis.  Yes,  sir,  God  sees  every- 
thing— in  the  dark  as  well  as  in  the  Hght. 
He  kno\YS  everything. 

James.  And  I  am  very  sure  he  has 
seen  Lawrence  when  he  was  steahng. 

Minister.  But,  James,  do  you  think 
God  only  looks  at  thieves  ? 

James.  Yes,  sir,  he  sees  ever}ioody 
and  everything. 

Minister.  Does  he  also  see  those 
who  are  proud,  and  liars,  and  swearers ; 
those  who  disobey  their  parents  and 
masters,  the  envious  and  the  slanderers  ? 

James  understood  what  was  meant, 
and  remained  silent. 

Minister.  Look  at  those  two  i)osts : 
tell  me  which  is  the  best ;  that  green 
one  which  has  been  lately  fresh  painted, 
or  the  other  which  looks  so  shabby  ? 

James.  The  shabby-looking  one  is 
the  best  piece  of  wood. 


42  GOOD    BOYS. 

Minister.  Then  you  mean,  that  as 
that  smart  looking  green  one  is  worm- 
eaten  and  decayed,  it  is  not  so  good  as 
the  other,  though  it  looks  so  much  better 
on  the  outside. 

Francis.  There  can  be  no  doubt  about 
that,  sir.  A  piece  of  pine  which  is  sound 
and  is  good  at  heart,  is  much  better 
than  a  piece  of  oak  if  it  is  rotten  and 
decayed. 

Minister.  Well,  Francis,  consider 
yourself,  and  tell  me,  frankly  and  truly, 
remembering  that  God  sees  you,  have 
you  a  good  heart?  You  and  James 
are  much  better  dressed  than  Law- 
rence, and  you  are  not  good-for-nothing 
fellows,  as  you  call  it,  like  him ;  but  do 
not  trust  to  the  outward  appearance  only, 
do  not  look  only  at  the  smart  color 
painted  outside,  but  examine  what  the 
inside  really  is.     Tell  me,  arc  you  really 


GOOD   BOYS.  43 

good,  and  without  blame,  in  the  sight 
of  God  ?  What  do  you  suppose  God 
thinks  of  you  ? 

Francis  looked  down,  but  said  no- 
thing; he  seemed  to  recollect  some- 
thing ;  and,  when  he  remembered  that 
the  eye  of  God  was  upon  him,  he  did 
not  feel  quite  so  comfortable  and  so 
much  at  his  ease  as  he  had  done  just 
before. 

Minister.  Francis,  you  do  not  answer 
my  question.  Are  you  quite  a  good  boy 
in  every  respect,  and  without  blame  in 
the  sight  of  God  ? 

Frauds.  No,  sir,  there  is  nobody  who 
is  quite  good  in  every  respect ;  we  have 
all  done  something  wrong. 

Mini st err  And  what  have  you  done 
amiss :  'suppose  you  tell  me  at  once  ? 

Francis.  Ah,  sir,  I  have  naught}^ 
thoughts,  and  sometimes  I  speak  naugh- 


44  GOOD   BOYS. 

ty  words,  and  am  in  a  passion  now 
and  then. 

Minister.  And  have  you  never  said 
what  was  false  or  untrue,  and  intended 
to  deceive?  Are  not  you  sometimes 
idle,  or  greedy,  or  envious,  or  spiteful, 
and  revengeful  ?  And  have  you  not 
sometimes  sinned  against  God  ? 

Francis,  No,  sir.  I  have  never  sinned 
against  God,  whatever  else  I  may  have 
done. 

Minister.  What !  never  ?  Have  you 
never  broken  the  Sabbath  ?  Do  you  al- 
ways keep  holy  the  sacred  day  ?  Do 
not  you  sometimes  forget  that  it  is  a  day 
in  which  you  should  think  about  God 
and  your  souls,  and  not  play  as  on  other 
days? 

James.  0,  sir,  all  our  school-fellows 
play,  sometimes,  on  Sundays. 

Minister.    But   supposing    all    your 


GOOD  BOYS.  45 

companions  break  the  commandment 
of  God,  do  you  suppose  that  they  are 
right  in  so  doing  ?  Remember,  you  are 
not  to  follow  a  multitude  to  do  evil. 
Exod.  xxiii,  2. 

James.  True,  sir,  I  had  forgotten 
that. 

Minister.  You  see,  then,  that  you 
ouo'ht  not  to  sin  against  God ;  and  re- 
member  that  if  you  sin  against  others, 
you  sin  against  God,  for  He  has  com- 
manded us  to  love  our  neighbor  as  our- 
selves.   Matt,  xix,  19. 

Francis.  Yes,  sir;  my  mother  tells 
me  not  to  vex  my  little  sister,  and  if  I 
should  go  and  tease  her  it  is  very  plain 
that  I  am  disobedient. 

Minister.  Then,  Francis,  how  can  you 
say  that  you  have  never  sinned  against 
God,  since  you  confess  that  you  are 
sometimes  in  a  passion?     With  whom 


40  GOOD  BOYS. 

have  you  been  angry?  Was  it  only 
with  your  dog  or  the  cat  ? 

Francis.  No,  sir ;  there  are  several 
persons  at  home  that  I  have  some- 
times been  in  a  passion  with,  they  are 
so  cross  to  me. 

Minister.  I  do  not  wonder  at  that, 
if  you  are  only  good-humored  to  those 
persons  who  flatter  and  spoil  you.  But 
you  now  see  that  you  have  sinned 
against  God,  so  that  you  are  a  sinner 
before  him,  and  need  his  forgiveness, 
as  well  as  Lawrence,  whom  you  have 
just  called  a  good-for-nothing  fellow. 

James.  But,  sir,  if  you  ask  any  per- 
sons who  know  us,  they  will  give  you 
a  better  character  of  us  than  of  him. 

Minister.  What  has  other  people's 
opinion  of  you  to  do  with  the  state  of 
your  heart?  Did  not  you  tell  me  just 
now  that  God  looks  at  the  heart  ?    Are 


GOOD   BOYS.  47 

you  aware  that  a  murderer  is  worse 
than  a  thief? 

Francis.  Certainly,  sir ;  for  a  thief 
does  not  kill  people,  at  least  he  does  not 
always. 

James.    Surely  we  are  not  murderers  ! 

Minister.  James,  tell  me,  do  you  be- 
lieve the  Bible  ? 

James.  Yes,  sir,  I  beheve  all  that  it 
tells  us  is  true. 

Ministey.  Then,  what  do  you  say  to 
these  words  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  ? 
"  Whosoever  shall  say  to  his  brother. 
Thou  fool,  shall  be  in  danger  of  hell  fire." 
Matt.  V,  22.  And  remember  the  de- 
claration of  St.  John,  that  ^'whosoever 
hateth  his  brother  is  a  murderer." 
1  John  iii,  15. 

James.  I  never  attended  to  these 
words  before  ;  nobody  ever  showed  them 
to  me. 


48  GOOD   BOYS. 

Minister.  They  are  not  the  less  true 
for  that.  God  forbids  all  envy,  hatred, 
malice,  and  all  uncharitableness ;  and  de- 
clares that  those  who  live  therein,  sin 
against  him,  and  shall  not  inherit  the 
kingdom  of  heaven.  This  he  positively 
declares,  and  therefore  I  tell  you  that, 
in  the  sight  of  God,  you  are  a  sinner  as 
well  as  Lawrence ;  and  on  this  account 
I  was  sorry  to  hear  you  praising  your- 
selves, and  finding  fault  with  him  in  the 
manner  you  did  a  few  minutes  ago.  Do 
you  recollect  what  our  Lord  said  about 
the  man  who  saw  the  mote  which  was 
in  his  brother's  eye,  but — ? 

Francis.  0  yes,  sir : — he  did  not  per- 
ceive the  beam  that  was  in  his  own. 
I  have  read  about  it  in  my  gi-andmother's 
great  Bible  with  pictures. 

Minister,  It  is,  indeed,  necessary 
that  we  should  know  our  own  hearts ; 


GOUD   BOYS.  49 

and  this,  my  children,  is  what  I  wish 
you  to  do.  Do  not  employ  yourselves 
in  thinking  so  much  about  Lawrence 
and  his  wicked  doings.  You  have  great 
reason  to  be  thankfid  that  you  have  been 
kept  from  being  like  hmi  in  some  re- 
spects ;  but  consider  your  own  conduct, 
and  }'ou  must  be  aware  that  there  arc 
many  things  in  which  you  offend  God. 
Wlio  will  have  to  answer  for  you  before 
God  ? 

James.  0,  sir,  ever\'  one  must  answer 
for  himself:  there  can  be  no  doubt  of 
that. 

Minister.  And  what  will  you  say, 
James,  when  you  are  called  upon  to 
render  account  of  the  manner  in  which 
you  have  kept  the  holy  law  of  God  ? 
Think:  you  must  go  either  to  heaven 
or  to  hell :  to  which  do  you  wish  to  go  ? 

James.  To  heaven,  certainly.  And 
4 


50  GOOD   BOYS. 

I  do  not  talk  carelessly  about  the  day 
of  judgment,  as  some  people  do. 

Minister.  My  boy,  do  not  talk  about 
other  people,  but  tell  me  about  your- 
self. Do  you  think  that  you  ought  to 
expect  to  go  to  heaven,  having  broken 
the  laws  of  God,  having  a  Avicked  sinful 
heart,  as  you  feel  you  have  ? 

James.  I  am  afraid  I  should  not ; 
and  I  see  that  I  must  not  sin  any  more. 

Minister.  How  will  3^ou  avoid  this  ? 
How  will  you  change  the  inclinations  of 
your  heart  ? 

James.  I  must  read  good  books,  and 
pray  a  great  deal,  and  go  regularly  to 
pubhc  w^orship,  and  do  all  other  things 
that  I  ought  to  do. 

Minister.  What  should  you  do  if  you 
had  splashed  your  nankeen  trowsers  ? 

Francis.  His  mother  would  give  him 
a  good  scolding,  that  she  would. 


GOOD  BOYS.  51 

Minister.  But  would  the  good  scold- 
ing take  out  the  splashes  ? 

Francis.    To  be  sure  not. 

Minister.  Suppose  he  looked  into 
his  mother's  receipt  book,  and  read 
there  how  to  take  out  stains ;  or  sup- 
pose he  went  to  the  wash-house  door, 
and  stood  there  all  day,  cr}ing,  "  I  have 
stained  my  trowsers !" 

James.  That  would  not  be  the  way 
to  make  them  clean. 

Minister.  Then  how  do  you  suppose 
that  merely  reading  good  books,  and 
repeating  prayers,  will  change  your 
heart  ? 

James.  But,  sir,  if  I  do  nothing  that 
is  wroiig  in  future,  will  not  that  take 
away  my  past  sins  ? 

Minister.  James,  did  you  ever  see 
a  chimney-sweeper,  whose  hands  or 
clothes  were  not  dirty  ;  can  he  avoid  it  ? 


52  cool)    BUYS. 

James.  No,  sir;  not  if  he  follows 
his  business. 

Minister.  And  can  you,  who  are  by 
nature  inclined  to  sin,  and  living  in  the 
midst  of  temptation,  suppose  that  you 
can  keep  yourself  from  it  ?  Do  not 
}'ou  know  that  your  heart  is  inclined 
to  sin  ? 

James.  It  is  true,  sir,  and  I  have 
four  times  determined  never  to  say  any 
naughty  words,  and  I  tied  a  knot  in  my 
handkerchief  that  I  might  be  sure  to  re- 
member it ;  but  somehow  I  have  forgot 
my  resolution. 

Francis.  And,  for  my  part,  it  is  not 
al)ove  a  month  ago  that  I  ate  so  many 
tarts  that  I  was  ill  all  the  next  day, 
and  obliged  to  take  physic ;  and  I  then 
promised,  most  seriously,  that  I  would 
remember  not  to  eat  so  many  next  time, 
but  it  is  onlv  three  davs  aij-o  I  made 


GOOD  BOYS.  53 

m3'self  ill  again  in  the  same  manner ; 
they  tasted  so  sweet  and  nice,  and 
looked  so  tempting,  spread  out  on  the 
old  woman's  table,  that  I  could  not  help 
eating  a  great  deal. 

Minister.  My  boys,  you  think  sin  is 
sweet,  and  that  entices  you,  and,  as  long 
as  you  delight  in  it,  good  resolutions 
will  be  of  no  use ;  you  will  never  keep 
them. 

James.  Then,  sir,  what  must  we  do, 
if  we  cannot  change  our  own  hearts  ? 

Minister.  James,  tell  me  what  is 
done  when  anvthins;  wants  cleaning:? 
Do  they  put  water  by  it,  and  merely  say, 
It  cannot  wash  itself? 

James.  No,  sir  :  they  must  get  some- 
body to  wash  it. 

Minister.  Well  then,  since  your  heart 
cannot  cleanse  itself  from  its  evil  ways, 
you  must  look  for  somebody  to  cleanse  it. 


54  GOOD  BOYS. 

Francis.    How  can  I  do  that  ? 

Minister.  Is  it  not  written  in  the 
Bible  that  God  cleanseth  our  hearts, 
by  faith  in  Christ ;  and,  that  the  blood 
of  Christ  cleanseth  us  from  all  sin  ? 
1  John  i,  7. 

James.  How  can  this  be  ?  I  do  not 
understand  you,  sir. 

Minister.  I  will  try  to  explain  it. 
Suppose  a  man  owed  more  money  than 
he  could  pay,  and  was  sent  to  prison. 

Francis.  My  uncle  is  in  prison  for 
debt ;  I  went  to  see  him  yesterday. 

Minister.  Suppose  I  was  to  go  and 
pay  all  your  uncle's  debts  for  him,  would 
he  still  be  in  debt  to  his  creditors  ? 

Francis.  No,  sir ;  and  then,  my  poor 
aunt  and  my  cousins  need  not  work  so 
hard  as  they  do :  and  after  all  I  am 
afraid  they  will  never  be  able  to  pay 
his  debts. 


GOOD  BOYS.  55 

Minister.  And  what  would  have  set 
your  uncle  at  liberty,  if  I  had  paid  his 
debts  ? 

Francis,   Your  money,  sir. 

Minister.  So  that  it  might  be  said, 
a  friend's  money  had  taken  away  your 
uncle's  debts. 

James.  I  understand  you  now.  sir; 
you  mean  to  explain  to  us,  that  Christ 
has  paid  our  debts. 

Minister.  Yes  :  he  was  delivered  for 
our  offenses,  and  that  by  the  determinate 
counsel  and  foreknowledge  of  God ; 
and,  being  by  the  hands  of  wicked  men 
crucified  and  slain,  was  raised  again 
for  our  justification.  Thus,  to  use  the 
apostle  Paul's  expression,  '^  He  was  made 
a  curse  for  us :"  that  is,  lie  suffered  in 
our  stead  the  curse  of  the  law  upon 
transgressors,  which  we  could  not  in  any 
other  way  have  escaped. 


5G  GOOD  BOYS. 

Francis.  Was  he  then  punished  in 
our  stead  ? 

Minister,  I  will  try  to  explain  it  fur- 
ther to  you.  All  men  are  sinners,  all 
have  sinned  against  God.  There  is  not 
one  who  has  kept  his  holy  law.  No  one 
of  us  can  cleanse  himself  from  his  sins : 
how  then  can  they  be  taken  away  ? 
Jesus  Christ  our  Saviour,  seeing  that 
we  deserved  punishment  for  breaking 
this  holy  law,  took  our  sins  upon  him- 
self, he  became  answerable  for  them, 
and  has  himself  suffered  for  us  the 
punishment  which  we  deserved. 

Francis.  But  shall  not  we  be  pun- 
ished for  them  too  ? 

Minister.  God  has  declared  that  who- 
soever believes  that  Christ  Jesus  has 
done  and  suffered  this  for  us,  and  really 
desires  to  be  pardoned  for  his  sake,  shall 
be  f3rgiven.     But  mind  what  I  am  going 


GOOD  BOYS.  57 

to  say ;  this  must  realh"  be  desired  by 
you,  in  your  hearts,  and  not  merely  be 
said  by  you  without  caring  about  it,  and 
only,  because  you  are  told  to  say  so. 

James.  Sir,  I  have  often  heard  about 
the  Saviour,  but  never  before  heard  what 
you  have  just  told  me. 

Minister.  Then  what  did  you  sup- 
pose was  the  reason  why  Christ  came 
into  the  world,  and  was  crucified  ? 

James.    That  we  might  be  saved. 

Minister.  He  has  obtained  forgive- 
ness for  those  who  believe  in  him :  it 
does  not  remain  to  be  done  now.  If  you 
were  to  come  and  say,  "  Sir,  you  have 
^mid  my  debts,  and  I  will  now  go  and 
pay  them,"  you  would  talk  nonsense, 
or  it  would  be  a  proof  that  you  did  not 
believe  that  I  had  really  paid  them. 

Francis.  This  is  plain;  what  has 
been  already  done  cannot  remrun  to  be 


58  GOOD   BOYS. 

done  now.  Sir,  it  is  as  if  I  had  a  great 
load  upon  my  back.  If  somebody  took 
it  off,  I  should  then  feel  quite  at  ease. 

3finister.  My  dear  boy,  if  you  really 
believe  that  Christ  died  to  take  away 
your  sins,  you  will  feel  at  ease,  for  Christ 
has  said,  "  Come  unto  me,  all  ye  that 
labor  and  are  heavy  laden,  and  I  will 
give  you  rest."    Matt,  xi,  28. 

James.  Then  w^ill  Christ  be  punished 
for  our  sins  instead  of  us  ? 

Francis.  Will  he  be  punished,  did 
you  ask  ?  He  was  punished  when  he 
was  crucified. 

Minister.  Yes.  Christ  came  down 
from  heaven  to  save  us ;  this  was  done 
Avhen  he  Avas  nailed  to  the  cross.  He 
who  looks  to  the  Saviour  for  pardon  will 
find  it. 

Francis.  But,  still,  will  he  not  be 
afraid  to  die  ? 


GOOD   BOYS  69 

3Iinister.  Why  should  be  be  afraid, 
since  be  bas  been  saved  and  redeemed ; 
and^  when  be  dies,  be  Tvill  go  to  beaven 
to  tbe  Saviour  ? 

James.  But^  sir,  ougbt  not  I  to  take 
care  not  to  do  anvtbino'  wronor  ? 

Minister.  Tbere  was  once  a  man  wbo 
bad  a  well  in  bis  garden,  and  all  tbe 
water  tbat  was  drawn  from  it  was  dirty 
and  good  for  notbing.  Tbe  man  said 
one  day,  "  I  must  find  out  tbe  reason  of 
tbis  :"  be  opened  tbe  well,  and  examined 
it,  and  found  tbere  was  a  great  deal  of 
dirt  in  tbe  well,  wbicb  nearly  filled  it, 
so  tbat  all  tbe  water  wbicb  was  drawn 
out  was  muddy  and  bad.  Finding  tbis 
was  tbe  case,  be  bad  tbe  well  cleaned 
out.  James,  tell  me  wbetber  tbe  water 
wbicb  was  afterward  drawn  out  of  tbe 
well  was  the  same  as  be  used  to  have, 
or  not. 


GO  GOOD    BOYS. 

James.  It  must  have  been  better,  be- 
cause the  well  had  been  cleaned. 

Minister.  Will  he  find  dkty  water 
in  the  well,  now  it  has  been  cleaned  ? 

James.  No,  sir ;  as  the  well  is  clean, 
the  water  will  be  clear. 

Minister.  Our  Saviour  said,  "  A  good 
man  out  of  the  good  treasure  of  his  heart 
bringeth  forth  that  which  is  good ;  and 
an  evil  man  out  of  the  evil  treasure  of 
his  heart  bringeth  forth  that  which  is 
evil,"  (Luke  vi,  45  j)  and  that  "  every 
good  tree  bringeth  forth  good  fruit." 
Matt,  vii,  17.  So,  if  he  has  been  pleased 
to  give  you  a  new  heart,  he  will,  by  the 
power  of  his  Holy  Spirit,  cause  you  to 
thinly  good  thoughts,  and  to  do  what  is 
good. 

Francis.  But  supposing  that  any  one 
continued  to  be  wicked,  to  tell  lies,  and  say 
naughty  words,  would  Christ  save  him  ? 


GOOD   BOYS.  61 

Minister.  Tell  me  whether  you  would 
think  the  well  was  properly  cleaned,  if 
the  water  drawn  from  it  was  still  dirty  ? 

Francis.    Certauily  not,  sir. 

3Iinister.  And  tell  me,  did  the  clear 
Avater  clean  the  well  ?  Or,  was  the  well 
cleaned  out  before  the  good  water  was 
found  there  ? 

Francis.  The  well  must  have  been 
cleaned  out  first. 

Minister.  Then  observe  this,  my  dear 
children.  I  hope  you  have  been  con- 
vinced that  what  proceeds  out  of  }'our 
hearts  is  not  good.  You  have  found  a 
great  deal  of  fault  with  Lawrence,  but 
have  forgotten  that  in  some  respects  you 
were  as  bad  as  he  was.  This  was  wrong ; 
and  you  have  done  other  things  which 
were  not  right  in  the  sight  of  God,  al- 
though }-ou  said  that  you  never  did  any- 
thing wrong.     You  understand,  I  hope, 


62  GOOD    BOYS. 

that  you  cannot  cleanse  your  own  hearts, 
and  that  before  you  can  please  God  it  is 
necessary  that  you  should  be  pardoned 
by  him,  and  have  new  hearts  given  to 
you.  Then  believe  in  Christ  Jesus,  rny 
dear  children.  He  has  said,  "  Sutler 
little  children  to  come  unto  me,  and  for- 
bid them  not."  Mark  x,  14.  Confess 
your  sins  to  him,  and  beheve  that  he 
can  take  them  away  and  forgive  you; 
and  that  it  was  for  this  he  died  upon 
the  cross. 

James.  But,  sir,  if  you  knew  how 
often  evil  thoughts  come  into  our  minds, 
and  how  often  we  see  and  hear  things 
w^hich  are  wrong. 

3Iimster.  My  dear  children,  God  w^ill 
give  his  Holy  Spirit  to  those  who  believe 
in  the  Saviour,  and  the  Holy  Spirit  will 
enlighten  their  minds,  and  cause  them 
to  love  God.     Pray,  therefore,  above  all 


GOOD   BOYS.  63 

things,  for  the  Holy  Spirit ;  he  will  teach 
you  to  love  what  is  right,  and  to  avoid 
what  is  wrong,  and  will  enable  you  to 
live  to  the  praise  and  glory  of  the  Saviour. 

The  conversation  ended  here ;  the 
minister  gave  these  lads  some  little 
tracts,  the  contents  of  which  might 
teach  them  to  know  themselves  better, 
not  to  think  so  highly  of  themselves, 
but  to  seek  for  true  wisdom  and  peace, 
which  are  only  to  be  found  in  the  know- 
ledge of  the  Saviour.  He  then  advised 
them  to  go  to  Lawrence,  and  tell  him 
what  they  had  heard.  They  went  away, 
askino'  to  be  allowed  to  come  as-ain  next 
Sunday. 

The  reader  will  doubtless  be  glad  to 
hear  that  this  conversation  produced 
some  good  effects.  James  has  since 
come  to  the  minister,  and  asked  to  be 
allowed   to   attend   his    Sunday-school, 


G4  GOOD   BOYS. 

"  that,"  as  he  said,  "  he  might  learn  more 
about  rehgion,  and  the  way  of  salvation." 
As  for  Francis,  although  so  quick  in  his 
answers,  and  so  ready  at  understanding 
what  the  minister  said,  he  does  not  like 
to  hear  much  about  God,  or  to  read 
the  Bible ;  but  hkes  better  to  play  and 
amuse  himself  with  foohsh  things.  I 
am  afraid  there  are  more  little  boys 
and  girls  like  Francis,  than  like  James ; 
]3ut,  my  dear  httle  readers,  I  hope  you 
will  try  to  be  like  the  latter,  and  pra}^ 
earnestly  to  God  that  he  will  make  you 
so.  "  Wilt  thou  not  from  this  time  cry 
unto  me,  My  Father,  thou  art  the  Guide 
of  my  youth  ?" 


THE     END. 


'JC  southern  regional  LlBRARy  FAC.'l!" 


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